This blog sums up a 3 part articles we've made to give you an examples of projects around the world, using a modern and comfortable environment for older people.
The Social Complex built in 2012 in Alcabideche, near Lisbon, aims to recreate a Mediterranean way of life. The project's goal was to create an environment for elderly individuals where a balance between private and communal life is considered.
The structure consists of 52 houses and auxiliary buildings that seamlessly extend into open streets, squares, and gardens within the complex. The central building houses all the necessary services for the proper functioning of the complex.
The roofs of the houses provide subtle and even illumination at night, lighting up in groups of 10 at a time across the entire complex. This creates a cheerful and easily navigable environment for movement at night on all levels.
The roofs of the houses serve additional functions. For instance, in the case of an emergency, a user can send an alarm signal to the main center, and the roof of their house will turn red. The roofs also contribute to maintaining a climatic balance inside the houses.
The Panorama project in Laval, designed by the Montreal firm ACDF Architecture, offers an intriguing reinterpretation of a home for the elderly. This 30-story tower resembles more of a boutique hotel than a traditional senior residence. According to the architects, the tower interprets the sky hovering over the landscape.
The building comprises a low horizontal section housing a 32-room patient unit, totaling 286 residential units in the entire complex. Some units are designed as condominiums for cohabitation with the elderly, while others are intended for separate living. The tower provides stunning views of the town of Sainte-Dorothée, the Rivière des Prairies river, and even Mount Royal in the distance.
The interiors are sophisticated with neutral furniture and details. Blue curtains reminiscent of the nearby river add a touch of elegance.
Among the amenities are a café with a view of the internal courtyard, a library, an indoor pool, a spa center, a gym, a yoga room, a bowling alley, a golf simulator, and even a petanque sandbox.
The layout is designed as a closed system to facilitate smooth movement without dead ends, ensuring comfort for the residents.
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